The present invention is directed to a throwing toy having a football-shaped body and a rotating tail that extends outwardly from the football-shaped body.
Throwing toys having football-shaped bodies and rearwardly extending tail sections have been commercially marketed more than one year prior to the filing date of this patent. For example, a throwing toy marketed under the trademark Vortex(copyright) had a football-shaped body and a tail section fixed to the football-shaped body that extends rearwardly from the football-shaped body. The tail section included three tail fins, each of which was positioned radially about the tail section.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,198 to Grimm discloses a tossable game ball having a football-shaped body and a tail section that is mounted to and extends rearwardly from the football-shaped body. The tail section has three tail fins. The tail section is fixed to the football-shaped body so that, when the game ball is thrown, the football-shaped body and the tail section rotate together at the same rate of rotation.
A throwing toy similar to that described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,010,419 to Rappaport, et al. was marketed under the trademark Vortex(copyright) Mega Spin(trademark) football by OddzOn, Inc. more than one year prior to the filing date of this patent. The throwing toy disclosed in the Rappaport, et al. patent has a football-shaped body and a tail section coupled to the football-shaped body. The tail section is rotatable relative to the football-shaped body so that, when the toy is thrown, the football-shaped body rotates while the tail section does not rotate.
In one aspect, a throwing toy having a rotational counter includes a football-shaped body and a tail assembly connected to the football-shaped body. The tail assembly includes a cylindrical body rotationally fixed to the football-shaped body, a rotational counter mounted within the cylindrical body, with the rotational counter having a first part rotationally fixed to the cylindrical body and a second part rotational with respect to the first part, the rotational counter arranged to provide visual indicia indicative of the number of rotations of the first part relative to the second part, and an elongate rod having a central axis. A first end of the elongate rod is operatively fixed to the second part of the rotational counter, and at least one tail fin is mounted to a second end of the elongate rod, the tail fin causing the elongate rod and the second part of the rotational counter to rotate relative to the first part of the rotational counter when the throwing toy is thrown through the air.
In further accordance with an aspect, the cylindrical body may include a forward part and a rearward part, and the rearward part may includes an aperture with the elongate rod extending through the aperture. A window may be provided wherein the visual indicia is viewable through the window, and the rearward part and the forward part may be suitably joined along an interface with the counter received within a seat formed within the cylindrical body. The rotational counter may include a reset button, and the forward part of the elongate rod may be secured within an aperture in the second part of the rotational counter.
A plurality of tail fins may be mounted to the second end of the elongate rod, and each of the tail fins may include a trailing edge having an angled surface. The cylindrical body may be provided with a cup-shaped forward end sized to receive a trailing end of the football-shaped body, and the elongate rod may have a circular cross-section.
In another aspect, a throwing toy comprises a football-shaped body, and a tail assembly connected to the football-shaped body and having a tail section mounted for rotation relative to the football-shaped body. The tail assembly comprises a cylindrical body rotationally fixed to the football-shaped body, a rotational counter mounted within the cylindrical body, the rotational counter having a first part rotationally fixed to the cylindrical body and a second part rotational with respect to the first part, the rotational counter arranged to provide visual indicia indicative of the number of rotations of the first part relative to the second part, an elongate rod having a central axis, a first end of the elongate rod operatively fixed to the second part of the rotational counter, and a tail fin assembly mounted to a second end of the elongate rod. The tail fin assembly causes the elongate rod and the second part of the rotational counter to rotate relative to the first part of the rotational counter when the throwing toy is thrown through the air.
In another aspect, a throwing toy comprises a football-shaped body and a tail assembly connected to the football-shaped body and having a tail section mounted for rotation relative to the football-shaped body. The tail assembly comprises a cylindrical body rotationally fixed to the football-shaped body, a rotational counter mounted within the cylindrical body, the rotational counter having a first part rotationally fixed to the cylindrical body and a second part rotational with respect to the first part, the rotational counter arranged to provide visual indicia indicative of the number of rotations of the first part relative to the second part, an elongate rod having a central axis, a first end of the elongate rod operatively fixed to the second part of the rotational counter, and a plurality of tail fins formed on a rearward portion of the elongate rod, the tail fins sized and shaped to cause the elongate rod and the second part of the rotational counter to rotate relative to the first part of the rotational counter when the throwing toy is thrown through the air.